Studies on the Mechanical Properties of Dioscorea Dumetorum Starch Filled Linear Low Density Polyethylene Composites

Abstract

Mechanical and end-use properties of linear low density polyethylene filled with dioscorea dumetorum (bitter yam) starch of particle size 100 μm at varying percentages as the function of filler contents were investigated. The polymer composite was fabricated by mixing LLDPE with 0 to 10% of dioscorea dumetorum (bitter yam) starch using injection moulding machine to obtain a material with enhanced and desired properties. The experimental test on mechanical properties such as tensile strength, elongation at break, hardness flexural and compressive strength carried out on the polymer composite produced showed an increase in the tensile strength, hardness, flexural and compressive strengths with reduction in elongation at break. The results showed that the filler had positive impacts on the mechanical properties as the filler volume increased. The optical microscopy seemed to show an improvement on the dispersion of the filler in the composite matrix as the filler volume fraction increases.